Tony Blair Institute
Role Summary
The Institute has recently launched a Tech for Development (T4D) initiative enabled by a dynamic external partner. This landmark initiative will be delivered in 30 countries in Africa, Eastern Europe, and Asia and aims to transform developing and emerging nations through the application of sustainable scaled technology and innovations across public services, food systems and healthcare. Malawi is an important priority country in this initiative.
The Government of Malawi recognizes the role of digital technologies to propel growth, diversify, and deliver government services more efficiently. Digital ID is a fundamental building block for Malawi’s broader digital development initiatives. TBI is working in collaboration with the Government of Malawi to enhance the robustness, inclusiveness, and utility of the digital ID ecosystem. Key focus areas include optimising the National ID ecosystem, protection of personal data, support the integration of digital economy solutions and facilitate the organization’s digital transformation while exploring the necessary governance structure to achieve this.
TBI is looking to hire an exceptional advisor with experience and expertise across technology, government advisory digital economy strategies and, specifically, digital ID implementation. This will be a key role, requiring a strong candidate with relevant expertise in project management, tech, digital transformation initiatives and knowledge of and experience in digital ID and digital economy strategies.
Key Responsibilities
The advisor will closely work with the National Registration Bureau (NRB) to address current challenges and highlight opportunities to strengthen the national ID system so that it can be effectively leveraged to improve service delivery in key sectors, allow Malawi to take full advantage of the digital economy and facilitate regional integration.
The successful candidate will have the following responsibilities:
- Develop a plan to strengthen operations and business efficiency of the National Registration Bureau
- Scale the piloted e-payment solution for ID services and other government services.
- Develop a scale-up plan to implement the e-payment solution country wide to improve service delivery.
- Articulating the value of a proposed solution to government and end-users and any gaps that TBI could offer unique value in helping to address.
- Strengthen the Digital ID ecosystem by developing efficient linkages with the public and private sectors to improve identification and authentication for citizens to access services e.g., subsidies, unconditional cash transfers, financial services.
- Assess interoperability and data exchange challenges between CRVS (birth, death, and marriage modules) and ID systems and design potential solutions ensuring a life course approach to identity management and production of vital statistics for implementation by all partners.
- Improve ID-related governance structure and strengthen the coordination between all partners to avoid redundancies and misalignment.
- Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to develop business continuity plans for NRB’s digital identity systems with considerations for the evolving digital economy landscape and the organization’s digital transformation objectives.
- Improve coordination and communication between NRB, government agencies and development partners to rollout last mile connectivity to all registration centres, address existing power outages at the data centres and backup of ID related data while ensuring appropriate data governance to prevent data misuse or leakage.
- Build consensus and capabilities on protection of personal data in line with the provisions of the data protection and privacy law.
- Conduct research and analysis on best practices and emerging trends in digital identity and digital economy sectors to inform NRB’s strategies and approaches for digital transformation.
- Assessment of fiscal requirements set by the government, development partners, etc and any identified gaps between funding sources and required outputs, including timeframes in which additional resourcing could be mobilized.
- Provide technical expertise and guidance on digital economy initiatives and opportunities relevant to NRB’s mandate to ensure alignment with broader digital transformation goals.
- Design and deliver programs to build capacity within NRB on digital identity and digital economy concepts and practices to support the organization’s digital transformation journey and enhance its participation in the digital economy.
Person Specification
The successful candidate must demonstrate a good understanding of the Malawian ICT ecosystem and tech and digital space and the Government of Malawi’s machinery, its structures and operating environment. The candidate must also demonstrate understanding of digital transformation principles and their application in the context of digital economy initiatives leveraging on the digital ID as a foundation. Prior work with the Government of Malawi is highly desirable but not required.
Additional skills and competencies required include:
Required qualifications:
- With experience in business operations, technology implementation, product management, consulting, or advisory functions
- At least 4 years of consulting experience preferred.
- Familiarity with the political and economic ecosystem of the ICT sector and experience working with key (public and/or private sector) stakeholders in the tech and digital space; prior experience working on programmes/projects in emerging markets, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa is highly desirable.
- Demonstrable experience and ability to work (and deliver impact) in complex and uncertain political environments.
- Problem-solving and analytical skills, including sound knowledge of data analysis, strategic planning, and project management practices.
- Ability to prioritize digital interventions and converge solutions.
- Ability to present information in a concise, insightful, and structured manner, written and oral.
- Conceptual and methodological skills and in applying qualitative and quantitative research evaluation methods.
- Ability to adapt solutions to a constant changing environment.
- Ability to coordinate with multi-disciplinary advisors.
- High quality communication, drafting and presentational skills.
- Excellent in building and managing effective relationships including the ability to navigate complex political environments.
- Fluency in English (oral and written) Preferred qualifications:
- Experience in Digital ID implementation at national or regional level.
- Strong understanding of digital economy concepts, including e-commerce, digital payments, and digital entrepreneurship, coupled with the ability to integrate these concepts into broader digital transformation strategies.
- Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills with the ability to articulate the connections between digital economy opportunities and organizational digital transformation goals.
- Experience in transforming businesses and organizations into efficient, self-sustainable organizations.
We encourage early applications as we reserve the right, if required, to close this role earlier.
Closing Date: 2024-04-05